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- Globally, there are over 839 employee assistance program (EAP) providers offering mental health services to employees through their company.
- There are 192 EAP providers operating in Australia as of 2025, with 80% of Australia's top 500 companies now offering EAP services to their employees.
- According to Trustpilot review scores from employees who've used each service, Spill is the top rated EAP provider in Australia. Reviews call out the simple online booking process, ability to speak to a counsellor on the same day, and the quality of therapists available.
Finding the right support for your employees doesn't have to be complicated — or expensive. Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) give your team access to confidential counselling, mental health support, and practical wellbeing resources, helping them navigate both personal and work-related challenges before they escalate. While EAPs have long been a staple of large corporate employers — used by 80% of Australia's top 500 companies — they're now increasingly accessible to small businesses too, with many providers offering flexible, low-cost plans designed specifically for smaller teams.
Choosing the right EAP is one of the highest-impact decisions you can make for your people and your culture. With over 190 EAP providers operating across Australia, the options can feel overwhelming, and the breadth and quality of services on offer can vary hugely. This guide cuts through the noise to help you understand what to look for, what to avoid, and which EAPs consistently deliver real value — so you can invest with confidence and give your employees the support they deserve.
In this guide, you’ll find:
- How to define the “best” EAP provider
- Key features to consider when comparing services
- A shortlist of Australia’s top 5 employee assistance programs
- A (long) list of EAP providers in Australia, to sort and filter as you choose
- How to choose the right EAP service for your business
Let's jump in…
What makes the best Australian EAP provider?
There's no single answer to what makes the "best" EAP service in Australia. The right fit depends on your business size, your budget, and the specific wellbeing needs of your team. That said, there's one factor that matters more than almost anything else: whether your employees actually use it.
"Choosing an EAP based on price or a feature list alone is a shortcut that often backfires — leaving you locked into a contract for a service your team never engages with, or worse, one that lets them down when they need it most. The most reliable way to assess quality is through unbiased reviews from real users, and it's worth asking hard questions of any provider that isn't completely transparent about their utilisation rates."
Calvin Benton, CEO, Spill, Australian EAP
An EAP that sits untouched is money wasted, which is why employee satisfaction and real-world utilisation should sit at the heart of any evaluation. To build this guide, we've drawn on publicly available employee and user reviews from review platforms like Google and Trustpilot to assess how each provider performs where it counts most. We've also reviewed the information each EAP provider publishes on their own website — including the services they offer and any exclusions — to give you a clear picture of the pros and cons of each.
Other features to consider when comparing EAP providers in Australia
Not all employee assistance programs are created equal, and for modern Australian businesses that genuinely care about their team's wellbeing — rather than just ticking a compliance box — the features on offer can vary significantly.
Alongside user ratings and reviews, here are some important features to look out for:
Easy access
Providers that integrate directly into business tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams remove the friction that often stops employees from seeking help in the first place. When support is embedded into an employee's daily workflow, people are far more likely to engage with it.
Same-day sessions
Timely access is critical for mental health support. Look for providers that offer same-day or next-day appointments which are easily bookable online, rather than having a lengthy referral system that leaves employees waiting weeks to speak to a therapist.
Unlimited counselling sessions
Unlimited sessions mean employees won't have to ration their support or avoid reaching out due to fear of running out of credits. EAPs that cap sessions at 3–6 per issue or per year encourage a short-term, crisis-only approach which limits therapy outcomes and effectiveness.
Diverse and qualified counsellors
The best employee assistance programs allow employees to filter therapists by specialism, ethnicity, gender, language and other criteria to find the best fit for their specific needs.
Video and message-based therapy options
Modern EAPs should offer flexible delivery — including video and text-based therapy — to support remote workers and employees who prefer digital communication.
Proactive wellbeing resources
Beyond counselling, leading EAPs often include self-guided resources and tools which aim to build emotional resilience over time and support employees before they reach a crisis point.
Flexible, small-business-friendly pricing
Flat-rate or per-employee pricing designed for smaller teams makes budgeting simple. Look out for short contract lengths, zero exit fees and pricing plans that can easily scale up or down with your headcount.
Top 5 employee assistance programs (EAPs) in Australia
Here’s a quick summary of the 5 best EAP providers in Australia according to reviews from employees who've used the service, with a more detailed breakdown of the offering and standout features provided below:
1. Spill
The best EAP for high-quality, accessible therapy.
Spill is Australia’s highest rated EAP service according to Trustpilot, with over 120 5-star reviews and not a single negative piece of feedback from users. Spill works with over 600 companies and delivers over 30,000 therapy sessions a year to employees.
Spill is one of the only providers in Australia to offer an employee assistance program that’s specifically designed for small to medium sized businesses with a rolling 30 day contract, unlimited access to therapy, and integrations with tools like Slack and MS Teams to allow employees to speak to a counsellor on the same day in just a few clicks (no callbacks, no waiting lists and no assessments needed).
1. Spill
Number of clients: 600
Best for: Smaller businesses
Customers include: Culture Trip, Depop, R/GA
Overview
Spill is one of the only providers in Australia to offer an employee assistance program that’s specifically designed for small to medium sized businesses with a rolling 30 day contract, unlimited access to therapy, and integrations with tools like Slack and MS Teams to allow employees to speak to a counsellor on the same day in just a few clicks (no callbacks, no waiting lists and no assessments needed).Spill’s main point of differentiation is their commitment to providing fast and easy access to support, and extremely high standards of care. Each company is assigned a dedicated senior counsellor who understands the specific needs of their team, and acts as a first point of contact. This unique approach helps employees feel safe and comfortable reaching out, resulting in 10x higher usage rates than most traditional EAP services (25% vs 2%).
Spill is a modern EAP providing the tools you need to help your team through any challenge, personal or professional. Next day therapy, manager training, and neurodiversity support all in one platform.
Standout features:
Integrates with Slack and MS Teams
Same day counselling sessions
Real, human support only (no AI therapists)
30 day rolling contract
Reviews
Life changing experience
“I’m incredibly grateful for this platform. It has been a real lifeline during a challenging few months. The service is easy to use, professional, and most importantly, genuinely supportive. Having access to such a resource has helped me process, reflect, and move forward in a healthy way.”
Link to reviewThe best employee benefit I’ve ever received
“This has been the best benefit I’ve ever received from a company. The platform is really easy to use and you can easily change between therapists if you don’t quite click. I found a really amazing therapist and I’ve had a couple of courses of therapy with her. A great service, definitely recommended.”
Link to reviewTruly transformative
“My experience with Spill has been truly transformative. The platform's user-friendly interface made connecting with a skilled therapist effortless, and the level of care and understanding I received was exceptional.”
Link to reviewProduct screenshots
2. Kyan Health
Australia’s best EAP for AI-guided mental health journeys at scale.
Kyan Health is Australia’s only AI-powered employee assistance program, using machine learning to direct employees to the appropriate level of care, drive down service costs and automate platform management for employers.
Kyan’s main points of differentiation is their focus on providing a “living EAP” which promotes a continuous, adaptive approach to care using AI-enhanced systems to predict mental health risks and triage users effectively.
2. Kyan Health
Number of clients: 150
Customers include: Hitachi Energy, STADA, Deutsche Börse
Best for: Large corporates
Standout features:
AI live chat support
AI assessments and therapist matching
1,000+ hours of self-guided content
24/7 emergency helpline
Review highlights
"Kyan is full of resources and tools that you can use on your own, or that your counselor can recommend for you through the chat. It is so easy to search through all of the great resources and find things that can have an immediate positive impact on your life."
Link to review"The enterprise dashboard is well-designed, and I appreciate that new ideas and updates are regularly added. Its support for multiple languages also makes it usable on a global scale."
Link to review3. Sonder
Australia’s best EAP for holistic mental, medical and safety support.
Sonder is a holistic workplace wellbeing and safety platform that combines mental health, medical, and personal safety support into a single app – using early intervention, human-led care, and holistic triage to deliver “the right care at the right time.”
Sonder’s main point of differentiation is its positioning as a preventative, all-in-one employee support ecosystem rather than a traditional EAP. It integrates real-time safety tools, clinical medical support, and mental health care into one platform, using a stepped-care and triage model to proactively guide employees to appropriate support before issues escalate.
3. Sonder
Number of clients: 200
Customers include: Woolworths, McDonald's, Big W
Best for: Large enterprises
Standout features:
Medical advice from nurses & GPs
Personal safety tools for frontline workers
Extensive self-serve content library
Face-to-face therapy sessions
Review highlights
“I use the meditation almost every day, and it has been incredibly helpful before and after surgery helping me stay calm and relaxed. When I was overwhelmed and needed to talk to someone, I didn't hesitate to reach out and call the call center.”
Link to review“Sonder offers exceptional support, primarily driven by its team of very experienced nurses who are always available online to provide reliable, expert guidance.”
Link to review4. Foremind
Australia’s best EAP for psychosocial risk management and legal compliance.
Foremind is a psychosocial risk management platform that combines mental health support, compliance tooling, and real-time workforce insights—helping organisations prevent health and safety issues before they escalate while meeting regulatory obligations.
Foremind’s EAP alternative provides specialised support for companies with distributed, deskless, or high-risk workforces (e.g. healthcare, construction, mining, logistics) with a focus on compliance-led, preventative care and hazard management. It gives organisations the tools to monitor wellbeing, identify emerging risks and take action with fast access to care.
4. Foremind
Number of clients: 200
Customers include: KIA, BowdenCorp and Weststate Energy
Best for: Mid-sized to large organisations
Services:
Psychosocial risk assessments
Critical incident reporting
Hazard management and training
Counselling within 48 hours
Review highlights
“The level of support available is exceptional. It’s not just reactive support, but something our people can proactively engage with to check in on their wellbeing, reflect, and build stronger self-awareness over time. The platform is incredibly easy to access and use, which is critical for a distributed workforce.”
Link to review“Foremind adds value at an organisational level by delivering webinars and providing updates on current legislation related to psychological safety and evolving employee needs—an increasingly critical area for employers.”
Link to review5. Mindway
Australia’s best EAP for personal and professional development.
Mindway is an Australian-built employee assistance program that combines counselling services, personalised wellbeing content, and leadership development to drive higher engagement and earlier intervention.
Mindway’s main point of differentiation is its proactive approach to self-care with a broad range of curated wellness content and self-help tools, from daily meditations to sleep support and focus strategies. The premium plan includes monthly live sessions for managers, designed to build confidence and practical skills in areas like communication, empathy, and leading by example.
5. Mindway
Number of clients: 100
Customers include: RIB, R.M. Williams and Point of Rental Software
Best for: Mid-sized to large organisations
Services:
Leadership training
Self-guided wellbeing content
Critical incident support
Counselling within 24 hours
Review highlights
“The leadership webinars and annual planning schedules have added real value at an organisational level. The wellbeing tools like in-app meditation help support a more holistic approach to staff wellbeing.”
Link to review“The meditation sessions are well-structured, calming, and easy to follow, making them a perfect addition to my daily routine. Another feature I appreciate is the journal prompts, encourage me to reflect on my day and process my emotions in a meaningful way.”
Link to reviewA (long) list of Australia’s best EAPs
We've spent a long time researching, so that you can now use easily compare options from our (long) list of the best employee assistance programs in Australia:
Filter and sort
Trustpilot rating
Access Wellbeing Services
EAP type:
Services:
On-demand counselling
Self-help resources
Mental health training
Telephone helpline
Kyan Health
EAP type:
Services:
On-demand counselling
Self-help resources
Mental health training
Telephone helpline
Sonder
.png)
EAP type:
Services:
On-demand counselling
Self-help resources
Mental health training
Telephone helpline
Calm Minds Clinic
EAP type:
Services:
On-demand counselling
Self-help resources
Mental health training
Telephone helpline
Foremind
EAP type:
Services:
On-demand counselling
Self-help resources
Mental health training
Telephone helpline
Mindway
EAP type:
Services:
On-demand counselling
Self-help resources
Mental health training
Telephone helpline
Enable Workplace Consulting
EAP type:
Services:
On-demand counselling
Self-help resources
Mental health training
Telephone helpline
Spill
.png)
EAP type:
Services:
On-demand counselling
Self-help resources
Mental health training
Telephone helpline
How to find the best employee assistance program (EAP) for your company
Before you start reaching out to providers or requesting demos, the first step is getting clear on what your workforce actually needs — because the best employee assistance program is the one that really fits your team’s specific situation, and the features and services you prioritise in each case will be different.
Have a goal and budget in mind:
- Understand your company’s main goals or concerns: what are you hoping to achieve by introducing an EAP? Perhaps you want to generally improve employee mental health and wellbeing, or maybe you have more specific goals in mind, like reducing the number of sick days or attracting higher quality job applicants.
- Know your budget: Whether you’re the decision maker or have been tasked with researching different EAPs, you’ll need to know how much money is available. It’s important to weigh up the total cost per employee against the overall contract length (if the cost is surprisingly low but you’re locked in for several years, this is a red flag).
Review any relevant data you already have:
- Your people data: look through any absence records, exit interview themes and engagement or wellbeing survey results. Frequent mentions of stress, burnout or poor mental health all point toward specific support gaps.
- Your team demographics: If the majority of your employees are young parents, they’ll have very different needs compared to shift workers or remote employees across several time zones. Age range, life stage, job type, and whether people work in person or remotely all help define the type of support and access methods that would be most suitable.
- Your industry context: High-pressure sectors (finance, healthcare, legal, emergency services) typically need stronger clinical mental health support. Physically demanding roles may need more musculoskeletal and occupational health coverage.
For extra clarity, ask your people directly:
- Run a survey: A short anonymous survey asking what type of support people would value most (e.g. counselling sessions vs lifestyle and nutrition advice) and how they’d prefer to access the service (e.g. telephone helpline vs online booking) almost always surfaces things you wouldn't guess, and builds buy-in for whatever EAP you choose.
Now you can use this information to build a simple prioritisation framework:
Other helpful EAP resources
